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California Summer Reading Program

Paws to Read, Paws to Slumber

Back by popular demand, and inspired by the 2014 animal themed summer reading program, get ready for a night of make believe at the 2014 Paws to Read Stuffed Animal Sleepover. Children are encouraged to drop-off their stuffed animals for a slumber party at the library. Once the children leave, their stuffed animals magically come alive. Staff and/or teen volunteers pose and photograph the animals engaged in all sorts of after-hours activities – story times, hide and seek, enjoying a midnight snack, using the library computers, etc. The next day children pick up their stuffed animals along with a photo showing what the animals did all night, and/or a certificate of participation. For added fun, libraries can host a family story time and other programs for the kids when they drop off their animals or a breakfast program when they pick them up. Post photos of the slumber party on your library facebook page or website for all to enjoy. Send us the link and we’ll share it on the CLA website.

Ages

Pre-school and school-age children (plus teens as volunteer program assistants).

Tips

Recruit teen volunteers to help pose and photograph the animals engaged in various sleepover activities and late night hijinx. This makes for a great activity for your library’s Teen Council or Teen Advisory Group.

If you don’t have the capacity or time to print a photo for each child (although this is preferable), display group photos in the library for the kids to see the next day when they return to pick up their animals. You can also post the photos to your library’s website or on your library’s Facebook page.

Use removable labels to label each stuffed animal with the owner’s name.